On March the 9th, 2008 I posted in this thread saying "Who?" (referring to Radiohead), you know, trying to be funny. I had never listened to the band then, other than Creep I suppose. A few months ago I got a box full of cassettes with three Radiohead records in it: The Bends, OK Computer ...

I've always found the offstage random clattering in Mahler's 6th somewhat disturbing, but very cool. I'm surprised no one has mentioned Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (maybe it's too obvious? I feel like a noob now :P) Also Ionisation by Edgard Varèse (get a load a' them clusters!!) . Worth mentioning ...

Electric cello definitively sounds different than an acoustic one This is a good example.. It's not a huge difference, though. You should try one out at a music store, even if it's not the exact same model you want to buy.

I used to play rock. Less ridiculous rock than that, though, but it's the only example I could find. Now I mostly use my guitar in the improvisation band I'm in. My rig: Epiphone G400 Sometimes (maybe half the time) a cheap Behringer distortion pedal, something like a failed big muff copy. Epiphone...

His sampling King Crimson is one of the best things about him. That and having Portishead as a major influence on Late Registration. He tries things which nobody else would think of. Not quite, to be somewhat anal. I've only listened to the track that sampled 21st century schizoid man. It was okay ...

Paul Hindemith's book, What's the title of it? Also...this discussion has gone over my head! :P It's called "A Concentrated Course in Traditional Harmony: With Emphasis on Exercises and a Minimum of Rules". You can get it on amazon for like 20 bucks, but you can probably find it on a libr...

wtf, modes are hella important Not if your goal is to understand any composer from JS Bach through Wagner. The melodies from Bach's chorale harmonisations are largely modal, and the phrygian cadence, used extensively by various composers from the period you mentioned has modal origins. Liszt used m...

wtf, modes are hella important, and in a diatonic context, they're not that many. If you want to learn harmony, I recommend Paul Hindemith's book, but you need to know a bit about intervals and such before getting into that. Learning intervals is important by the way, it will help you immensely: int...

Hm. Knowing music theory and how to play an instrument to at least some degree. The only thing I found in common in all the examples you gave is that at the places you point, something changes, or the melody is embellished, or does something slightly unexpected. I don't know what else to say, it's t...

I've been to the opera once, to see Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle and an opera by an Italian composer whose name I can't remember. It was pretty alright, but I didn't fall in love with the genre. Although I recently listened to Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande and I loved it completely. I wish they woul...

As I told a friend: I'd like to like them to chat up girls and what not, but they're a bit too sissy for my tastes. I mean, they're not bad, it's pretty music but I dislike the imagery that comes with their music. Please don't kill me.

It was pretty crazy, I was alone in my house, my sister is in the south, nearer to the epicenter and my mom was in a 10 story building. Thankfully nothing happened to us (not even one broken dish). So far 214 or more people have died, and many more are hurt or had their homes destroyed, right now Im...

Part's Berlin Mass is incredible, I had the luck to see it performed live. Also: Webern' five pieces for orchestra Bartok's concerto for orchestra and his sonata for solo violin, particularly this movement right here Peteris Vasks' "distant light" violin concerto ( I could only find this, ...